| For some time, I had been contemplating an expansion to my
existing shop to give myself more storage and out-of-the-weather workspace. As I
visualized the new addition, I realized that I could add a second floor to the expansion
and thereby create a fairly large dance space. Since I would need a roof over the
addition anyway, the only additional cost would be for the floor joists, flooring, and the
beams to support that second floor. This was in the Summer of 1997, and one
week-end, 2 friends, Tony and Mel, were visiting and I was telling Tony about my
fantasy. Well, as it happens, Tony is in the log cabin construction business and he
just happened to have some old telephone poles that he had removed from a railroad
right-of-way and would be willing to donate to the project. The next week-end
he showed up with the poles and the project was underway! |
 Lumber is delivered. |
| That
fall we had 3 weekend work parties. Folks were invited to come for either or both
days. Because the shop was 20' wide, the addition was to be 20' wide by 36'
long. It was to consist of 3 bays, each 12' long. There would be 3 bents, 12'
apart - a bent consisting of 2 vertical poles with a horizontal pole forming the second
floor support and atop each pole a 7" round pole forming the roof rafter. A
major portion of the shop roof needed to be removed as the pavilion area was to extend
over part of the shop. (Note in the picture the sloping roof on the left.) The
first week-end (actually only 1 day since we were rained out the second day), about 20
people showed up and, as a result, a portion of the old shed roof was removed, all 3 bents
were finished, and the joists and flooring for the first 2 bents were installed.
Whew! |
 First pole goes up! |
 First bent is up with floor joists. |
 All 3 bents are up, part of joists for 2nd. |
 Rainy Sunday morning. |
The second week-end, the floor went down and rafters n'
purlins made their appearance. More of the old shop roof was removed and diagonal
bracing was placed below the floor. The 3rd week-end most of the roof was
placed. During the winter, the project lay dormant for the most part. |
 Rafters
and purlins. |
 Metal
roof goes on. |
Come Spring, one work-day completed some of the outside
railings and the stage for the bands. My mother, a brother and sister, and nephew
came up on Memorial Day week-end and helped us clean the floor in preparation for
painting. |
 KaDe sweeping. |
 More cleanup. |
June 13, 1998
we held our first Shy Bear Dance. |
 Stage |
 Quiet
time before the dance |
 Band warms up |
 Forward
& back! |
 Alamande right! |
 Breakfast. |